# @americanredcross on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/Czref4Dp8KK
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/9923716-americanredcross-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/ebd6ff3945.jpg
- **Posted:** 2023-11-15T20:00:28.000+00:00

## Caption

Jennifer Martel is a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and a Red Crosser of six years. She is dedicated to making sure no one is left behind during crises. This guiding principle shines through everything she does as an educator, organizer, changemaker and volunteer. 🤝🏽

“To me, advocacy means being a voice and getting the help that is needed for our community members,” she said.

Jennifer currently serves MNDaksRedCross as a Disaster Action Team supervisor. She connected with the mission through her work in emergency management while supporting the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in Fort Yates, North Dakota. In her role, Jennifer networks with organizations and provides resources to meet the immediate needs of families in crisis.

Recognizing that she is the only Native person in her region, Jennifer would like to see more Natives actively volunteering. She knows representation is crucial for delivering support across all communities we serve.

“If they see someone like themselves, they may be more receptive to reach out and get the help that they need,” Jennifer said. “A lot of our Natives are not just on the reservation — they’re in rural and urban communities, often being overlooked. So how do we get them to be engaged and of the Red Cross?” That’s exactly what Jennifer is working to figure out with the support of her team.

In addition to her service with the Red Cross, Jennifer supports her community through her work at Sitting Bull College as a founding member of the Indigenous People’s Movement and as an organizer of Indigenous-empowering conferences. What she sees across all of her activism, is the need for everyone to play their part: “We have a community responsibility to help our people in any way we can.”

This Native American Heritage Month, we recognize and celebrate Native Red Crossers like Jennifer who are willing to share their stories and experiences. We are grateful for all of those who work tirelessly to deepen our connection with Tribal communities, promote accountability and put Red Cross values into action. ❤️

#NativeAmericanHeritageMonth #IndigenousWomen #ThankYouVolunteers #RedCrossVolunteers #RedCross #DisasterRelief

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## Tags

nativeamericanheritagemonth, redcrossvolunteers, redcross, disasterrelief, thankyouvolunteers, indigenouswomen

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